Pakistan Politician Who Founded Third Largest Party Killed in North London

By Benjamin Martin and Bill Austin -
Sep 17, 2010

Pakistan’s Muttahida Qaumi
Movement, the nation’s third-largest political party, said Imran
Farooq, one of its founding leaders, was killed in London.

Farooq was killed yesterday evening, MQM member Mohammad
Anwar said by telephone from London. He had been living in exile
and played little part in party affairs after falling out with
MQM founder Altaf Hussain a couple of years ago, the Dawn
newspaper reported on its website.

Political and communal killings have escalated this year in
Karachi, the MQM’s stronghold, which is used as a hiding place
by militants fleeing army attacks on the Taliban in the
country’s northwest. Members of the ruling Pakistan Peoples
Party, the MQM and the Awami National Party have died in gun
battles in the city since the start of the year.

Police were called to Green Lane, Edgware, shortly before
5:30 p.m. following reports of a serious assault, a Metropolitan
Police spokesman said by telephone. They found an Asian man, 50,
suffering from stab wounds and head injuries. He was pronounced
dead at the scene at 6:37 p.m., the spokesman said, declining to
give the victim’s name in line with police procedures.

The MQM website announced 10 days of mourning for Farooq,
whom it described as the party’s convenor.

Separately, policing arrangements for Pope Benedict XVI’s
U.K. visit were today reviewed after five men were arrested in
central London on suspicion of “the commission, preparation or
instigation of acts of terrorism,” according to an e-mailed
police statement.